'He did not put a gun to anybody's head' - Ama Daaku defends Wontumi

A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communication team, Ellen Ama Daaku, has mounted a strong defense for Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi, insisting that his actions in the Exim Bank matter do not constitute a crime.

Speaking on this on a panel discussion on the GTV Breakfast Show and monitored by GhanaWeb on June 12, 2026, she emphasised that Wontumi’s request for financial support was no different from what any Ghanaian businessman would do, regardless of political party affiliation.

According to her, he neither stole nor coerced anyone in the process, but simply sought a loan to support his business operations.

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"Let's go back to the Exim Bank matter again. Chairman Wontumi did not put a gun to anybody's head. He did not steal. What he requested was a loan just like any other Ghanaian businessman would do. Whether his party was in power or not, he is a businessman," she said.

Daaku further challenged the narrative being shared by the Attorney General, who has alleged that Wontumi obtained the loan through false representation.

She questioned the role of the bank itself, pointing to what she described as lapses in its internal systems.

She also stressed that the focus should not only be on Wontumi’s actions but also on the processes within Exim Bank that allowed the loan to be granted.

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"Now, the AG is telling us that he used false representation; what was the bank doing? Where is the bank's legal department? What happened to the bank's processes for acquiring a loan? Those are the questions we should be asking. As for Chairman Wontumi trying to get himself out of it, he's totally right. After all, he went for the loan. He didn't steal it," she insisted.

Meanwhile, Chairman Wontumi has formally initiated a plea bargain process with the Attorney General in the ongoing Exim Bank fraud case.

He faces charges including defrauding by false pretences, forgery, money laundering, and causing financial loss to a public institution, with the alleged loss exceeding GH¢30 million.

VKB/VPO